After Desert Storm. The U.S. Army and the Reconstruction of Kuwait

The effort to rebuild Kuwait was unique, complex, and challenging. The reconstruction was rooted in various authorities and paid for from various pots of money. Both the funding and the work itself were diffuse and diverse in unprecedented ways. My goal was to give a structure and sense of order to the complex story of how a small, independent country recovered in record time from the devastating effects of a seven month occupation by Iraqi troops, in large part through the efforts of the U. S. Army. To promote greater order and clarity, I have presented the operation both topically and chronologically. This book originated in 1991 when I was documenting the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers involvement in the Persian Gulf War. Documenting the Corps critical role in the Kuwait recovery operation after the end of the war was a natural progression. The Corps of Engineers, however, was not the only Army element with significant involvement in the recovery operations. Recognizing this, the U. S. Army Center of Military History requested that I broaden my account to encompass the activities of the other Army elements. The story of how American soldiers, working alongside Kuwaits residents, helped bring the country back to life within a few short months is truly remarkable. I feel fortunate to have witnessed some of the recovery process firsthand, to have talked to some of the participants, and now to tell their story. I made two trips to Kuwait to collect records, interview participants, and tour project sites such as the Parliament Building and Doha power plant. I made the first trip into Kuwait a week after the Iraqi withdrawal when the sky was still dark with smoke from the oil fires and water and electrical power were in short supply. There I marveled at the courage and commitment of the soldiers and civilians who worked in that dangerous and stressful environment. When I returned the following September, few visible signs of the occupation remained.